Best of the Week's TV (May 18-24)

As well as the Eurovision, highlights include the return of The Good Wife to RTÉ

SATURDAY

Eurovision Song Contest, RTÉ One, 8pm

The outcome of Ryan Dolan’s efforts in tonight’s final in Malmo, Sweden, will be decided by a combination of public votes and an expert jury.

Sport

With no Premier League action until tomorrow’s final games, the sports highlight of the day is the Heineken Cup final clash of Clermont Auvergne v Toulon (Sky Sports 1, ko 5pm; highlights TG4, 9.10pm) from the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. At Wembley, the League Two play-off final features Bradford City v Northampton Town (Sky Sports 2, ko 1.30pm), with former Cork City star Roy O’Donovan lining out for the Cobblers.

The Jonathan Ross Show, UTV, 9.45pm

The series has felt lacklustre in comparison to Graham Norton, but Ross finishes his current run with guests such as Lee Evans and Philip Glenister, as well as music by Primal Scream.

SUNDAY

The Fall, RTÉ One, 9.30pm

The pace picks up in episode two of the Belfast-set drama as serial killer Spector (Jamie Dornan, right) gets even more repulsive.

The second impressive show of the evening on BBC Two has Simon Reeve beginning a new series of travels across Australia. He starts in the Red Centre, looking at the damage that feral camels are doing to the ecosystem, before looking at the pressures that wine production and other areas of the agricultural industry put on water supplies, before finishing in Perth by experiencing the region’s massive mining boom.

MONDAY

The Family Project, RTÉ One, 7.30pm

This new series teams up six supposedly “inspirational” celebrities with different families to help them better manage their lives. Among them are former Fianna Fáil minister Mary O’Rourke, comedian Jon Kenny and tonight’s participant, Johnny Murtagh. The champion jockey is embedded with the Doyle-Farrell family from Clondalkin, Dublin, and attempts to use his own life experiences to mentor the parents and their five children.

Sé Mo Laoch, TG4, 7.30pm

Repeat of the documentary on singer Seán Ó Sé from Ballylickey, Co Cork, in which he talks about his work with Seán Ó Riada.

Save our Seahorses, RTÉ One, 11.20pm

John Hurt narrates this documentary following Irish marine biologist Kealan Doyle across the world as he highlights the plight of seahorses. Just like tigers and rhinos, one of the major threats to the existence of this magnificent animal is its use in traditional Chinese medicine. An estimated 150m seahorses are taken from the oceans each year to be used in dubious remedies for low sex drive or to help children grow. Doyle visits the poor fishermen who harvest this dwindling resource, and traces the supply chain up to the wholesalers, complete with rare footage of a facility where tonnes of dried seahorses are processed.

TUESDAY

The Consumer Show, RTÉ One, 8.30pm

Looks at the claims made by sports drinks manufacturers for their products, and ways for homeowners to cut property management fees.

Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence In The House Of God, TV3, 9pm

Even by the standards of the familiar tales of Catholic Church abuse scandals, this documentary by US filmmaker Alex Gibney presents some shocking stuff. It revolves around the case of four courageous deaf people, targeted as children by Fr Lawrence Murphy, and shows their fight for justice in the face of a cover-up that stretched from Milwaukee to Ireland to the Vatican.

Later with Jools Holland, BBC Two, 10pm

John Grant, Stereophonics and Low are among the bands appearing, while Madness saxophonist Lee Thompson also showcases his ska orchestra.

WEDNESDAY

Local Heroes, RTÉ One, 8.30pm

Looks at the efforts of a group of food producers in the south-east who’ve created the Wexford Food Family brand, in an attempt to pool resources and achieve collective success for what are mostly small-scale family-run operations. The founders of the project hope to attract chefs, retailers and hoteliers to sign up to the idea.

Other Voices, RTÉ Two, 10.55pm

Imelda May tops the bill tonight, and there are also performances from Canadian musician Owen Pallet, who burst on the scene in 2006 with his wonderfully-titled album, He Poos Clouds, and English folkie Laura Marling.

Bankers: Payback Time, BBC Two, 9pm

The final part of this insightful series on the inadequacies of the financial services industry looks at the scandal in Britain that erupted over mis-selling of payment protection insurance (PPI) to customers. Described as one of the biggest consumer rip-offs in British history, at one point PPI was delivering up to a third of retail banks’ profits. Such sales also occurred in Ireland, albeit at a much lower scale.

THURSDAY

Temple Street Children’s Hospital, TV3, 8.30pm

Seven-week-old Aoife Mannix is transferred from Cork University Hospital and is diagnosed with whooping cough, while six-year-old Anna Drumm is preparing for surgery to treaton recurrent tonsillitis. A little boy also arrives in the emergency department after getting a coin stuck between his teeth.

The Good Wife, RTÉ Two, 10.15pm

Season four begins with Alicia going on the attack when son Zach is targeted by a state trooper. Meanwhile, Diane and Will delve into the firm’s financial problems. As anyone who’s been watching this season on More4 will testify, it is well worth a view.

Fat Family Tree, Channel 4, 8pm

Dr Dawn Harper of Embarrassing Bodies presents a show on the genetic link to weight issues. Harper shows how genes play a huge role in an individual’s propensity to putting on excess weight, and how special ‘gene-busting’ diets may be required to help some people avoid obesity.

FRIDAY

RTÉ Goes Wild — Bioblitz Ireland, RTÉ One, 7pm

Derek Mooney presents a live programme from Glendalough, Co Wicklow, focusing on the Bioblitz events being held around the country. The project involves volunteers joining with scientists in particular locations to survey the flora and fauna. This year’s surveys are in: Wicklow Mountains National Park; the Burren National Park, in Co Clare; Lough Key Forest Park, in Co Roscommon; and Colebrooke Estate, Co Fermanagh.

A stellar line-up tonight includes Will Smith and his son Jaden, alongside Michael Douglas talking about his new Liberace film, as well as Bradley Cooper and Heather Graham on The Hangover Part III. The musical interlude is provided by Selena Gomez.